Several A-State football players fall ill

The Red Wolves will play the Auburn Tigers in Alabama this weekend, but they may be a little short-handed.

Head Coach Blake Anderson said 14 players have fallen sick with a stomach virus.Arkansas State University confirmed to Region 8 News that the players had to see a doctor this week for treatment.

Anderson said he started noticing some of the players began getting sick in Tuesday’s practice and then it was downhill from there.

“Our guys, they live together, they eat together, and they are around each other all day,” said Anderson. “So, once it gets started through the team, you can try to defend it as best as you can but they are around each other so much and by that alone, it is going to jump from one guy to the next. Hopefully, we have kept it to a minimum.”

He said they are currently pumping fluids in the players and keeping them as healthy as possible

“They do a lot of work,” said Anderson. “They are studying. Their bodies get rundown so they are more susceptible to illnesses. Because of all the symptoms with a virus, we have to do all we can to keep them hydrated. Your body can only handle so much.”

Anderson said every season they face some virus that goes through the team.

“We’ve been here before,” said Anderson. “This is not the first or the last stomach virus we’ll deal with but, hopefully, it is the last one for this season.”

Of the 14 players, most are either starters or role players, which he said might affect the upcoming game because so many have had to miss practice.

“If one player is not healthy enough, guys have to be ready to step up in their position,” said Anderson. “This is no different than an injury. It is not a physical injury, but it is definitely something we’ll have to play around.”

Arkansas State goes to Auburn after falling to the Toledo Rockets in week one.

Normally Lisa Pritchard's feet are all you see on display. Because, let's be honest, Bully is the star of the show. But the woman on the other end of the leash is responsible for the well-being of MSU's fan favorite. Source: WLBT

Normally Lisa Pritchard's feet are all you see on display. Because, let's be honest, Bully is the star of the show. But the woman on the other end of the leash is responsible for the well-being of MSU's fan favorite.

Normally Lisa Pritchard's feet are all you see on display. Because, let's be honest, Bully is the star of the show. But the woman on the other end of the leash is responsible for the well-being of MSU's fan favorite.

Fitzgerald suffered the injury in the 1st quarter. He would leave the game on a cart but came back on crutches in the 2nd half. Breeland Speaks & DeMarquis Gates made the tackle on the play, Speaks commented on the play after the game

Fitzgerald suffered the injury in the 1st quarter. He would leave the game on a cart but came back on crutches in the 2nd half. Breeland Speaks & DeMarquis Gates made the tackle on the play, Speaks commented on the play after the game